Wednesday, February 18, 2015

A Gotham Book Mart bookmark, probably from somewhere in the 1980s. Leave it to the Gotham to advertise itself by using an exchange name — PLaza 7-0367 — long after the days of exchange names. The art is no doubt the work of Edward Gorey.

On what must have been my last visit to the Gotham’s 47th Street location, my fambly and I ascended to the second floor (I’d never been), to see an exhibit of Edward Gorey’s work. My son the cartoonist was pretty excited. Ben, do you remember that time?

I frequently saw Edward Gorey there. In fact, once my wife picked up a stuffed bat and yelped, It's an Edward Gorey bat! I whispered, he's standing right next to you. Over the years I bought a Gorey etching, a signed Allen Ginsberg collection, and bunches of poetry. I miss it.

“Orange Crate Art” is a song by Van Dyke Parks and the title of a 1995 album by Van Dyke Parks and Brian Wilson. “Orange Crate Art” is for me one of the great American songs: “Orange crate art was a place to start.”

Don’t look for premiums orcoupons, as the cost ofthe thoughts blended inORANGE CRATE ART pro-hibits the use of them.